Kelly Joe Phelps (2007)

Interview by Joyce Peters

April 2007
Reprinted courtesy of Taconic Press

I spoke with Kelly Joe Phelps by phone during a break in his tour schedule in support of his Tunesmith Retrofit release.

JP: You said you had a need to retrofit new elements into your songwriting. Can you explain that?KJP: The term retrofit is somewhat misleading. If retro is taken out of context it sounds like I’m going backward. It actually is adding onto a structure that already exists, like how bridges are retrofitted. It¹s a move forward, looking at the structure, my musicianship, and trying to identify parts that can use strengthening. It’s constantly trying to find the balance point between my abilities as a musician and what a song may need to make it as strong as it can be. It’s like trying to understand how not to overplay or overwrite. There¹s not a big shift going on. It’s constantly changing. It’s one of things I love about music.

JP: The mournful banjo on Tunesmith Retrofit is a surprise. How did you pick up the banjo again after 20 years?KJP: It was very organic. I played it years ago but not at all in a personal way. I never felt a connection to it necessarily. I put it aside, then sold it, then went for 20 years without one. I found myself thinking about it again. An occupational hazard of being a guitar player is when I get off the road, I don’t want to pick up a guitar. I thought a banjo would give me something to play that is completely removed from my career. It stayed in that “just for fun” camp for about a week [laughs]. I found myself able to approach it from a fresh perspective. I felt a connection to it that I never felt before. The mournful quality you described, the sounds about that instrument that aren’t tapped into — I allowed myself to follow that impulse. I didn’t set out to put a banjo tune [Handful of Arrows] together as a tribute to Chris [Whitley]. I was working on a set of lyrics for awhile. The banjo made the song come to life for me. It matched the spirit of the lyric and the sentiment behind it and I liked the rhythmic propulsion, as well. Chris’ thing was so rhythmic.

JP: People often sense spirituality in your performances, almost as if you’re transported elsewhere. Does it feel that way to you?KJP: Yeah, it does. That’s one of the biggest joys that I get from playing music; it acts as some kind of weird portal out of here into another place [laughs]. I love performing because of the potential for that to happen.

JP: How aware are you of the audience during live performances?KJP: I’m not fully conscious of the audience listening and watching although I know full well they’re there. When there’s an audience, music is elevated to a place where I can¹t do it on my own.

JP: How do you find solace during a grueling tour schedule?KJP: That doesn’t exist. In a car when there’s no conversation or interaction, driving from one town to the next. I don’t listen to music. I like the quiet. I let my mind wander. That’s when I come closest to solace on the road. At home, the closest I get to solace is reading. I love the way a book will take me away from everything for an hour or two. It’s incredibly rejuvenating.

JP: What can we expect at your upcoming Towne Crier Café performance?KJP: I don’t know! Whatever is in store is only going to happen there so I have to get there to find. That sounds evasive and it probably is [laughs].

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Looking forward to hosting Francesca Beghe Music this evening on the Main Performance Stage. Call (845) 855-1300 for tickets.Getting into the groove with this incredible group of musicians and singers. Last rehearsals before our gig tomorrow at Towne Crier Cafe. So thrilled to be on stage in my own backyard! Beacon, here we come! ... See MoreSee Less

From Phil Ciganer

Friends –

As we celebrate our fifth year of operation in Beacon, we invite you to take a bow. We appreciate the great dining review in the NY Times and the Best of Hudson Valley award from Hudson Valley Magazine. But what has made it truly special is our vibrant community of music and food lovers. Thank you!